The season is here, and many shoppers are snagging items left and right for the upcoming holidays. The Xbox Series X is likely to be one of the hottest items on the market right now.
Updated on November 11, 2021, by Joshua Duckworth: A new year brings a new Black Friday season, tons of new games, and even more accessories to purchase. Navigating all of this isn't simple, but luckily, there's still a ton of quality items that make for great gifts this year. From the biggest games to important accessories, here are the hottest items for Xbox Series X owners this year.
While several Black Friday deals will likely be a shopper’s main focus, it’s worth noting that there are several supply issues with tech items in and beyond the gaming industry. As such, it’s not a bad idea to try to shop early and shop smart to get the best gifts and items out there.
The Xbox Series X is a year old and many have managed to get their hands on the new hardware (though it’s still certainly not too easy). Whether shopping for one’s self or a loved one with an Xbox Series X, there are some key gifts to celebrate this momentous occasion, as well as the holidays.
The Best Xbox Series X Games
Obviously, the best gifts every year are games. Hardware is nothing without great software for it to utilize, so it’s nearly impossible to go wrong here. There are two key things to keep in mind, though. First off, whether or not someone already owns the game. If they’ve been saying they want it, then it’s a great gift. Secondly, a few of the below games (all of which make great gifts) are also included on Xbox Game Pass. It’s important, when shopping, to make sure the purchased game isn’t on Game Pass (and cross fingers that it isn’t added before the gift exchange).
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Upcoming Games to keep an eye on:
Back 4 Blood, Forza Horizon 5, and Psychonauts 2 are available on Game Pass (in December for Halo Infinite).
Only San Andreas for GTA Trilogy is available on Game Pass, while Skyrim: Anniversary Edition is an upgrade for the extra content. The latter makes a good gift too but is a bit confusing on the consumer end.
Game Pass Subscriptions
Games are the kings of gifts, but Game Pass is the kings of games. Sometimes described as the Netflix of gaming, Game Pass offers access to a digital library complete with hundreds of games. Every month, there’s even more added and it usually outpaces those leaving. Gifting a subscription to Game Pass is the definition of a gift that keeps on giving, and luckily, there are plenty of options. It should be noted that Game Pass Ultimate also includes Xbox Live, whereas the standard Game Pass subscription does not.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 1 Month Subscription
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 3 Month Subscription
Xbox Game Pass: 12 Month Subscription
Xbox Series X Controllers
Many gamers take pride in their controllers, and thankfully, there are a lot out there so players have ways to express themselves. This can be as simple as one of the official Xbox Series X controller colors or as complex as a Customer controller from Controller Chaos (which features designed controllers based on everything from tye-dye and hunting to Naruto, Spider-Man, Mass Effect, Star War, Overwatch, the MCU, and far more).
- Visit Controller Chaos for a great custom controller selection.
- Visit Xbox Design Lab to design a custom controller.
Other solid options are Design Lab controllers that show off their gamepad preferences and gamer tag, Elite Series 2 controllers for those who enjoy competitive games, and the Xbox Duke Controller for those who prefer the classic. Of course, a collection of batteries is always good too, but the most cost-effective route may be rechargeable batteries and charging stations, listed below:
Xbox Series X Electric Volt Controller
Xbox Series X Daystrike Camo Controller
Xbox Series X Aqua Shift Controller
Xbox Series X Pulse Red Controller
Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller
Rechargeable Batteries and charging station
Xbox Series X SSDs and HDDs
Space to store games is also super important in gaming, regardless of platform. With the PS5 and Xbox Series X featuring limited space on the hardware, external storage is extremely important. Luckily, Microsoft has some current and upcoming SSD options so players can still check out their games with all of the Xbox Series X’s power. At the same time, a lot of games can be still hard to manage, so a good WD_Black External HDD works for storage and transfer purposes.
512GB SSDs for Xbox Series X are available for pre-order at Walmart and are expected to release sometime in November. 2 TB SSDs for Xbox Series X can be pre-ordered at some time in November and are expected to release in December.
Seagate 1 TB SSD for Xbox Series X
Gaming Monitors
There’s nothing wrong with using a strong, 4K TV to play video games on, but there’s certainly a case for the more optimized and personal experience of a good monitor. The catch with these gifts is making sure the monitor is capable of hitting all the performance benchmarks of the Xbox Series X, which both of these monitors do well. They are on the price-y end of gifts, but they're bound to make any Xbox Series X owner happy.
Xbox Series X Headphones
Gaming is loud. There’s no way around it, such as the pop-off in a good match of Apex Legends, the blasting music in Guardians of the Galaxy, or the sound of a dying dragon in Skyrim. While not much can be done about personal yelling, strong headphones with good quality and potentially even noise-canceling features are great. Notably, it’s pretty hard to go wrong with a headset as long as the money is right (these are very much a “you get what you pay for” style of item), and these headphone options stand out among the many, many out there. The official Xbox Wireless Headset via Microsoft is a good choice as official accessories, but there are plenty of options beyond that.
NOTE: The SteelSeries Arctis 7P+ works well with Xbox, but the console itself may not make the most of its features. If someone play on multiple platforms, however, it is the ideal headset for that scenario.
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gen 2 Wireless Headset
Halo 20th Anniversary Merch
November 15th marks the 20th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved’s release, which is a big occasion for Xbox as a whole. Master Chief is essentially the face of the brand, and to celebrate, Microsoft has released quite a bit of anniversary merch to celebrate. Snagging these and gifting them is good for all Xbox fans, but especially Halo fans.
- Halo 20th Anniversary Playing Cards
- Halo 20th Anniversary Tee
- Halo 20th Anniversary Tumbler
- Halo 20th Anniversary Mug
- Halo 20th Anniversary Hat
- Halo 20th Anniversary Throw Pillow
Visit the Xbox Gear Shop to snag this special anniversary merch.
SecretLab AAPE Limited-Edition Designer Chair
Gaming Chairs are popular for the simple fact that they are chairs designed for gaming, which make them a great present to gift. None are cheap though, and buyers should be sure to check if the chair would be a good fit for whom they are buying for. Everything from weight and height matters in a gaming chair, but if looking for a strong quality chair, Secretlab is a trusted name. Its AAPE collection makes for good gifts, as colored camo chairs fit into just about any set-up.
- Visit the Secretlab x AAPE website to purchase a chair. NOTE: Supplies are highly limited and some colors may be sold out. In that case, it's possible to register as interested but these may not be available before the holidays hit.
PowerA MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip for xCloud
xCloud is Xbox’s venture into gaming on the go, and it’s becoming increasingly popular and available. If someone likes to take advantage of this, the MOGA Mobile Gaming Clip makes it that much easier. This clip will fix most cell phones (to a max width of 3.12”) and attach them safely and reliably to an Xbox One wireless controller. Key points allow for ergonomic phone placement and then it can be folded easily for use later.
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